Star Wars Franchise

The Star Wars franchise is a multi-billion entertainment empire that consists of films, TV series, video games, books, and merchandise. Set in a “galaxy far, far away,” the franchise was created by George Lucas and his production company Lucasfilm in the 1970s and is now one of the most famous and successful film franchises in the world. Lucas’ original conception was a Saturday-morning fantasy-adventure serial for children set in the imaginary frontier of outer space, but the project evolved into a full-length feature titled Star Wars, which was released in May 1977. The special effects, mesmerizing landscapes, and enchanting characters were immediate hits, and the film, which cost $11 million to make, grossed more than $775 million worldwide. It has since spawned a series of sequels, prequels, and spinoffs that continue to thrill audiences from children to senior citizens. As of August 2022, there were twelve movies and nine TV series in the epic saga, with more planned.

At its core, Star Wars is a classic story of good vs. evil full of interwoven themes that hold universal appeal and draw from a mixed bag of drama, comedy, and action elements. The multimedia aspect of the franchise includes movies, shows, theme parks, merchandise, and much more, and, in 2021, the brand had an estimated value $68 billion, a figure expected to increase as Star Wars popularity only continues to grow.

Background

In his early years, George Lucas aspired to become a race-car driver, but had his plans changed by a car accident that nearly killed him only days before he graduated from high school. He instead attended community college, where he first developed a passion for cinematography and camera tricks. He then transferred to the University of Southern California’s film school where produced his first futuristic sci-fi film and attracted the interest of director Francis Ford Coppola. Coppola became his mentor and persuaded Warner Brothers to make a feature-length film out of Lucas’ sci-fi effort. That film, 1971’s THX 1138, was a box-office flop. His confidence took a hit, but he persevered through his next project, the 1973 movie American Graffiti, which grossed more than $100 million domestically and was nominated for five Academy Awards.

Lucas’ next effort was Star Wars, which starred Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader. After overwhelming success of Star Wars in 1977, Lucas continued his space saga with The Empire Strikes Back in 1980 and Return of the Jedi in 1983. Lucas had originally planned on filming more Star Wars films, but those plans took years to materialize. Helped by advancements in technology, Lucas produced and directed three prequels. Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace, was released in 1999. This film focused on the character of Darth Vader as a boy. Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005) followed, culminating in Vader’s fall and embrace of the evil Dark Side.

Lucas also was the developer of the Indiana Jones adventure series, which overlapped his early Star Wars work. He retired in 2012, selling the franchise to the Walt Disney Company for more than $4 billion and turning the reins over to Kathleen Kennedy. Kennedy’s first producer credit was 1982’s ET: The Extra-Terrestrial, which topped the original Star Wars as the highest-grossing movie of all time. Both films have since been passed by numerous others.

The Disney company capitalized on the lucrative franchise and released 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which went on to become the highest-grossing film in US box office history.

Kennedy, considered among the most successful producers in history, has rapidly expanded the Star Wars franchise and had four of the five Star Wars movies she produced gross more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office.

Under her leadership, even more franchise growth is expected. Three new Star Wars films were announced in 2023. Two will take Star Wars into the far past and into the future of the Jedi Order, and an Avengers-style collaborative event film will unite the various Star Wars series airing on Disney+.

Overview

The first Star Wars film was released on May 25, 1977 in just forty-three theaters. The film became a cultural phenomenon, selling out theaters and earning more than $400 million worldwide. Star Wars, as the film was then called, was nominated for eleven Oscars and won six technical awards. In 1980, Lucas released the second film in the series, Star Wars: Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back. By using the title prefix “Episode V” Lucas signaled his intentions to expand the Star Wars universe with more films. He rebranded the original film as Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope, which served as the first in a planned film trilogy. The trilogy came to an end with 1983’s Star Wars: Episode VI—Return of the Jedi.

In addition to the nine films, three other Star Wars movies only somewhat connected to the main storyline were created to satiate fans. The twelve films, according to some estimates, have garnered more than $10 billion at the box office, in addition to huge revenue from spinoff deals and merchandising.

The themes that permeate the franchise take a form similar to parables and address the struggle for power between the virtuous Jedi and the mighty Imperial army. Luke Skywalker’s coming of age and relationship with his father, Darth Vader, are central themes as well. The Jedi lightsaber and the Death Star introduce fantasy and action, while Chewbacca injects comedy, and the wise and Buddha-like Yoda offers spiritual elements. All of this, combined with the inherent adventure of outer space, can explain the series’ enduring appeal.

Due to the collection of prequels and sequels as well as the host of spinoffs that are not considered among the official movie lineup, laying out a Star Wars timeline can be complicated. However, one popular suggestion is to watch in a chronological order that includes movies plus spinoffs on a real timeline so viewers may experience the story as it would unfold for the characters. In this order, that would be:

• Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), in which Jedi apprentice Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn, are stranded on a desert planet after rescuing the young Queen Amidala from the impending invasion of Naboo. They discover nine-year-old Anakin Skywalker, who leaves his home for Jedi training.
• Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) takes place ten years after the invasion of Naboo, when the galaxy is on the brink of civil war. Thousands of solar systems threaten to break away from the Galactic Republic led by renegade Jedi Count Dooku. Anakin Skywalker, now twenty, is assigned to protect Queen Amidala. He discovers his love for her along with his own darker side. They and Obi-Wan Kenobi are drawn into the Separatist movement and the beginning of the Clone Wars.
• Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008–2020) is an animated TV series that spans eight years – 2008 through 2014 and 2020. It chronicles the adventures of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Ahsoka Tano, and other favorite characters as they take on the dark side during the Clone Wars. The Jedi Order fights to restore peace to the galaxy by leading the genetically engineered clones against the droid army of the Separatist Alliance commanded by the evil Count Dooku.
• Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (2005) finds the galaxy at war and Anakin Skywalker making decisions that that take him down the path to the Dark Side and his eventual corruption as Darth Vader. This is a fateful chapter in the saga that focuses on light and dark within the self. It showcases cinematic innovation and employs new tools in digital filmmaking.
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) is a standalone film that tells the story of a young Han Solo befriending the Wookiee Chewbacca. The pair meet new enemies, old friends, and potential allies amid a growing insurgency.
• Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018) is an animated TV series set between the events of Star Wars: Episodes III and IV. The stories take place while the evil Galactic Empire is tightening its grip on the galaxy. Cowboy Jedi Kanan, ace pilot Hera, street-smart teenager Ezra, the “muscle” Zeb, warrior firebrand Sabine, and cranky droid Chopper resist the Empire as they face threatening new villains and acquire the power to ignite a rebellion.
• Andor (2022) is a TV series airing on Disney’s streaming service Disney+. It explores a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy as it focuses on Cassian Andor’s quest to make a difference. The rebellion against the Empire is flourishing in an era of danger, deception, and intrigue, and Cassian is destined to become a rebel hero.
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) is the first of the Star Wars standalone films. In this conflict-filled adventure, a group of unlikely heroes unite on a mission to steal the plans to the Death Star, the Empire’s signature weapon of mass destruction. This key event in the Star Wars timeline unites ordinary people who choose to do extraordinary things.
• Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) showcased groundbreaking visual effects and sound design and ushered in a new era in filmmaking. The fate of the galaxy is forever changed when Luke Skywalker, who is discovering his connection to the mysterious Force, blasts into space to rescue Princess Leia. He is mentored by a wise Jedi Master, opposed by the menacing Darth Vader, and takes his first steps as a hero.
• Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) set a new standard for the saga and sealed its place as a cultural phenomenon. New characters, such as Master Yoda, are introduced, and one of cinema’s biggest cliffhangers appears. The plot revolves around the rebel forces who are on the run with Darth Vader in pursuit of Luke Skywalker. As Han Solo and Princess Leia flee the Empire, Luke trains as a Jedi with Yoda. When Solo and Leia are captured, Luke is lured into a deadly trap, and Vader unveils a shocking truth.
• Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) is the conclusion the classic trilogy. The Rebel Alliance achieves a long-awaited victory that includes the final confrontation between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker. Darth Vader is redeemed, and Luke Skywalker triumphs. This film has been recognized for groundbreaking innovation in visual effects from Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic. Return of the Jedi set the stage for the mythology’s continuation for decades to come.
• The Mandalorian (2019-present) was the first Star Wars live action series on Disney+ and ushered in a new realm of storytelling in the galaxy. In this story, set between the fall of the Empire and the rise of the First Order, a mysterious gunfighter works deep within the galaxy as a bounty hunter.
• The Book of Boba Fett (2021–2022) finds legendary bounty hunter Boba Fett and mercenary Fennec Shand navigating the galaxy’s underworld when they return to the sands of Tatooine to claim the territory Jabba the Hutt and his crime syndicate once ruled.
• Star Wars: Resistance (2018–2020), an animated series with a unique visual style, travels to a remote platform on a distant planet where ace pilots compete in daring races. The rising First Order threatens the New Republic, and General Leia Organa, as leader of the Resistance, fights off the threat.
• Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) depicts Han Solo and his allies thirty years after defeating the Galactic Empire and facing a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren and the Stormtroopers. The character of Rey, a female Jedi Master who fought for the Resistance, is introduced.
• Episode VIII: The Last Jedi (2017), in which Rey develops her newly discovered abilities under the watchful eye of Luke Skywalker as the Resistance readies itself to battle the First Order.
• Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker (2019) is the conclusion of the Skywalker saga that sets the stage for the final battle for freedom yet to come.

In addition to its film titles, the Star Wars franchise includes dozens of video games, novels, and comics. Video games based on the Star Wars franchise were made for nearly every home video game system, beginning with the Atari 2600 in 1982. The first original Star Wars story told in novel form was released in 1978. The first Star Wars comic series was published from 1977 to 1986.

Bibliography

Beattie, Andrew. “Why Is The Star Wars Franchise So Valuable?” Investopedia, 20 Apr. 2022. www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/102215/why-star-wars-franchise-so-valuable.asp. Accessed 15 April 2023.

Fink, Richard. “Who Is Kathleen Kennedy, and Why Is She in Charge of Star Wars?” Movieweb, 12 Apr. 2023. movieweb.com/who-is-kathleen-kennedy-ceo-star-wars/. Accessed 15 Apr. 2023.

Jones, Brian Jay. George Lucas: A Life. Little, Brown and Company, 2016.

Molina-Whyte, Linda. “How to Watch the Star Wars Movies in Order: Every Order from Chronological Timeline to Release Date.” RadioTimes, 22 Mar. 2023, www.radiotimes.com/movies/how-to-watch-the-star-wars-movies-in-the-right-order/. Accessed 15 Apr. 2023.

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars Helped Redefine Television Animation.” Lucasfilm LTD. www.lucasfilm.com/productions/star-wars-the-clone-wars/. Accessed 15 Apr. 2023.

Star Wars Official Website. Lucasfilm LTD., 2023, www.starwars.com/. Accessed 15 Apr. 2023.